Maria José Sabater is currently a scientific researcher at the Institute of Chemical Technology (UPV-CSIC), Valencia (Spain). She obtained her MSci and PhD degree in Organic Chemistry at the Universidad de Valencia (Spain). After completing her doctorate, she joined the group of Prof. Waldemar Adam at the Würzburg University (Germany) as a post doctoral fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, conducting photochemistry in confined spaces (1993-1994). Thereafter she moved to Poitiers University (France), with a post-doc fellowship from the European Union´s Human Capital and Mobility Program to join one of the world leaders in catalysis, Prof. Michel Guisnet (1995). Her research was focused on heterogeneous catalysis for fine chemicals.

In early 1996, she was awarded with a very competitive individual contract for research (Program for the Incorporation of Researchers and Technologists from the Ministry of Education and Science), which is a tenure track position (5 years) within the spanish research system. In 2002 she got a permanent position as scientific researcher at the Institute of Chemical Technology (UPV-CSIC). Since then she has adressed the discovery and design of novel multifunctional nanostructured solids for application as catalysts in fine chemical, pharmaceutical and environmental technologies. She is author of publications (including articles, conference proceedings and book chapters) on carbocationic chemistry, photochemistry, new materials and catalysis. On the applied side, she holds several international and national patents and licensed technologies.

Her current research interests include nanocatalysis and new materials.